Manatee School Board Approves Pay Raises for Non-Union Employees

BRADENTON – Two weeks after raising the pay of union employees working for the Manatee School District, the school board approved a two percent salary increase Monday evening for non-bargaining employees.

The raise – which will cost $860,433 – will come from the district's general fund.

Deputy Superintendent of Operations Don Hall assured board members that the increase will not financially hurt the district. 

When board member Robert Gause expressed concern about the district’s ability to pay for more salary increases under a lean 2013-14 budget, Hall advised the board that as new expenses like the raises come up, there would be “modifications and shifts” in the budget so that things do not get out of whack. 

Hall also said that the district is still looking at new ways to save money, such as overtime and teacher substitutes, to help offset new expenses. “We’ll do everything we can to watch the costs, and that will be part of our quarterly budget review,” explained Hall.

As was the case with the union pay increases, the one approved on Monday will retroactively take effect July 1, 2013. The only non-union district employees that would not receive the two percent increase are senior management within the district.